Silent Voices aims to:
(i) Raise awareness of issues arising from the traumatic Adverse Childhood Experience of parental problem alcohol use (PPAU) and
(ii) Put forward policy measures to address these.
Silent Voices is informed by detailed national and international research as well as by the lived experience of its founders and contributors. Our comments on the General Scheme of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences, Domestic Violence and International Instruments) Bill 2025 are confined to Head 6: Insertion of new section 58 in the Domestic Violence Act 2018 which provides the statutory basis to allow for the introduction of an early intervention support mechanism for children impacted by domestic violence.

2. Domestic Violence and Parental Problem Alcohol Use
Domestic violence is unfortunately only too common in Ireland with research from Women’s Aid indicating that one in four women who have been in a relationship have been abused by a current or former partner. National and international evidence demonstrates that alcohol is frequently a component of domestic violence. Studies from Australia found that alcohol is involved in about 30-40% of both intimate partner and family violence. Similarly, national research on domestic abuse in intimate partner relationships found that alcohol was a trigger for abusive behaviour in 34% of cases. In addition, past research found that alcohol was a factor in up to 70% of cases of domestic violence against women. The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights survey on violence against women found that 73 % of women who have been victims of violent incidents by their previous or current partner indicate that children living with them were aware of the violence. The exposure of children to two significant Adverse Childhood Experiences, domestic violence and parental problem alcohol use will have major impacts on children’s lives and development.

3. Children – the unseen victims of domestic violence
Experiencing domestic violence as a child is child abuse, a child protection issue, and a child welfare issue. Unfortunately, in Ireland, children are generally the unseen victims of domestic abuse, even though they are victims in their own right with the experience impacting on their development. Parental problem alcohol use (PPAU) is widely recognised not only as an Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) but also as a gateway to multiple other ACEs such as domestic violence. This trauma can have a life-long legacy with a significant body of research pointing to impacts such as higher levels of depression, anxiety, eating disorders, substance use, relationship difficulties as well as impacts on educational attainment, development and more. However, there is now growing evidence indicating the importance of early intervention in mitigating against this legacy. A particularly important aspect in reducing the harm from ACEs is ensuring the child is on the radar of at least one adult with knowledge of the situation.

4. Operation Encompass
In May 2020, AAI/Silent Voices began engaging with the State, advocating for the introduction of an early intervention programme - Operation Encompass. This was done firstly through a submission and meeting with the then CEO of Tusla, Bernard Gloster, and was followed by multiple meetings with senior government officials across the Departments of Children, Education, and Justice. This programme would facilitate an information sharing partnership between Gardaí and schools, enabling schools and teachers to offer immediate intervention and support for children and young people experiencing domestic abuse. Information would be shared by Gardaí with a school’s designated officer prior to the start of the next school day, after the Gardaí had attended a domestic incident. This would ensure early appropriate assistance and care is given, depending on the needs and wishes of the child. The programme has been in place across England and Wales since 2010 and was introduced in Northern Ireland in 2023. In its first year in existence in Northern Ireland, 23,000 referrals were made under it.